Legend of Zelda: Spirit of the Desert
by CircadianTurnip
Summary: An alternate timeline created by the boy hero from A Link to the Past. The world is changed forever and a new evil has emerged from the darkness within.
1. Chapter 1

Heavy mail rested on the soldiers of the young boy. He remembered his house as he looked into the open room. Large, glossy stairs lead up to an empty stage. He heard a familiar voice in his mind congratulate him, and for a brief moment, he wanted to lay down.

He gripped his sword tighter and brought his shield to his chest, the voice continued and told him to take his prize. Three golden relics spun to the stage forming a large pyramid in the center. Before the boy could think he rushed up the stairs and lowered his weapons. He grabbed the relics and thrust them over his head in victory. Nothing could stop him now. He searched his mind for thoughts of a golden land and memories of when the world was good. At this moment, nothing would be lost for him. Or so it should be. But this is not the world you know. The boy was as flawed as you or I. Things like this don't happen often. The boys' mind was perhaps a minute too young or an hour too old, we will never know. His mind, focused on the world he fought so hard to save, fallen for, then risen again and again; for all this time, his uncle slipped from a thought to an idea.

How much he wanted to see him, one last time. Then he realized that he was not responsible for any of this. He could've said no and moved on, but now he didn't have to. He could wake up tomorrow with his uncle by his side, nothing could hold him back. Thoughts like these would be deemed unworthy for such a power, but the boy's mind was not of ill intent. He was feeling loss, and there was nothing wrong with that. Parts of me wonder how it would be if I never saw this, if I never knew. But the boys' mind turned on those he served and aided, he drowned them out in his loss in his loss. He spoke aloud to the relics as he lowered them from his joyous stance. He stared at the gleaming pyramid and spoke slowly:

"I wish the Seven Sages had been able to keep that beast in his prison forever."

Oh how long it has been.

* * *

"Get up Link."

Link's head moved an inch then slumped back into his pillow.

"I said, get up. We have work to do," the man stood firm in the center of the room.

"No way it's morning already," Link groaned.

"I assure you it is. Just like yesterday and the day before that. Now get up, I'll meet you outside. You have breakfast waiting for you in the den."

Link waved him away, the lazy boy sluggishly rose. He stared vacantly into his mirror, the golden shimmer of the glass outlining his thick blue hair. He gave it a tussle and shook his head, putting on a short green cap. After putting on his boots and slipping a tunic over his underwear, Link headed outside to meet his father.

"Grab the shovel, I'm planted fifteen on the west side of the house. You need to plant about 5 near the creek." His father said with a plunge of his spade. The thick pink hair rested on his shoulders, hints of grey hazed around his head. His thick beard covered his stained shirt, his eyes were squinting from the hot sun.

"I thought I planted enough by the creek." Link said in anger.

"You did. Some beetles got into them this morning and I had to burn them out to save the rest on the Westside. I'm sorry, but we need to cover that area. Our defenses won't last till Winter if we don't work quickly."

Link frowned, there was a solution to every problem. He scoffed as he walked behind the house and towards the creek. Planting trees wasn't his idea of defense. He slowly dug the holes in a diagonal pattern. His father hadn't exercised any idea of leaving the woods, you'd think that after the first five attacks would make one think they were unwanted. Link's father was strong but lacked the will to act on any more than instinct. Link, on the other hand, often wrote and dreamed of running away but his will was tied to his father, his responsibility. He stared up from the creek to the hill. He looked long at the graves atop the hill, his great uncle and late mother. He wondered if his uncle would have had any thoughts on his father's actions, he wished that he had known him.

A scream from the house woke Link from his daydream, "Dad!"

Link rushed to the house, he hid behind a tree and watched as two guards pulled his father out of the house.

"You can't do this, we owe nothing to Hyrule. My uncle was a royal guard, the Hylian crown will hear of this."

The guard laughed, "why do you think we would come here. We have orders to take you to the Queen in Hyrule."

Father's eys widened "I won't go, I want nothing to do with that city."

"Come on old man," the other guard shifted his weight. "We haven't got all day."

Link's eyes met with his Dad's. His Dad nodded and looked up at the guard, "I'll go."

The guards pulled a seed from his pocket and threw it towards the ground, a whirl of wind sprung from the ground and the three vanished.

Link stood still for a moment then slowly walked inside the house. He saw, on his father's bed, a packed bag. Link staggered as the weight finally hit him. He felt powerless and frozen. He couldn't do anything. He vowed to never wait for danger to decide his fate again, he threw the pack over his shoulder and headed for Hyrule. He took a long look at the land behind him and realized that he couldn't leave just yet.

He ran the nearest village and into a general store.

"What can I do for you kid?"

"I need a sword."

"A sword? Aren't you a little young for such things."

"Maybe, but I can pay."

"I'll give you a blade, but only if you buy a shield too. I can't have you goin into the wild without a defense."

"Fine," Link pulled a sack of rupees from his pack and paid quickly. He noticed a bow in the back and stared down out his money. He had just enough but didn't want to journey on without any money. He thought of his father and knew he needed all the help he could get, "I'll take that bow too and as many arrows as you'll give me."

With that, he was on his way. A sea captain granted him passage to Hyrule in exchange for work and the boy Link was on his way. He looked at Holodrum shrinking in the distance.

Once he arrived, he never looked back.


	2. Chapter 2

The dock was east of Hyrule, the bustling trading kingdom intimidated Link. He walked up to a store owner and asked how to get to Kakariko village. The woman looked at Link with a puzzled expression, "you can't get there from here."

"What do you mean?"

"It's walled off by a thick fog and desserts that spread across Hyrule. There's only a few ways to navigate it."

"What would you suggest?"

"There's an old lady that lives in the north woods, she can help you."

"Thank you."

"Wait," the woman took Link's hand. In his palm, she left a small compass, "if you ever need return, follow south then east until you hit the sea."

"I will." Link passed through the village and into the dark woods.

As he traveled along, he heard stirs of bats and birds. He heard deep roars in the distance and felt chills pass over him with every step forward. Out of the woods, he heard the cries of a beast. The cry made him want to turn back, but he pressed on. He found a wizard shooting electricity at a bear on the ground. The bear tossed in pain and seemed to switch between bear and Moblin as the wizard continued. Link lightly set his bag on the ground and charged at the wizard. The wizard turned and shot lightning at Link. Link's shield held the lightning away but pushed him back. Link pulled forward against the magic wind and tried to plunge his sword into the wizard. The wizard threw his arms forward once more and Link flew back to the trees behind him, dropping his sword.

"Foolish child, you are no match for-" the wizard spun around to see the bear towering over him.

The bear swiped with its paw and the wizard disappeared into a mist.

The bear slowly walked over to Link. Link remained deadly still towards the beast.

The bear's mouth slowly grumbled, "that was close. Thank you."

"No thanks necessary," Link said with a sigh of relief. "Do you know where an old witch lives?"

"The witch lives across the river ahead, I can take you."

"Thank you, I'm Link."

"Oh...I don't really have a name. I mean, I do, but it's just a bunch of growls."

"What should I call you then?"

"Bear is fine, It's what everyone else calls me."

Link and Bear walked through the woods and came upon the Witch's cabin. Link went to knock on the large wooden door, but before he could lay his fist on the wood it slowly opened. He looked over at Bear and carefully pushed the door open.

He crept inside the dark room and he heard a voice rise from the darkness.

"Who enters my home?"

"My name is Link."

"And your dog?"

Link pushed his teeth together awkwardly, "it's actually a bear."

From the dark, a small candle was lit. The match was thrown across the room, landing in a small pit which promptly turned into a roaring fireplace. The dimly lit room was very well kept. It featured a few chairs, a small kitchen, and two doors on the back wall. The Witch sat in a rocking chair.

"Come in, but leave the bear outside. I'm afraid that my floors won't be able to take it."

Bear sat down, "I understand. I'm not one for houses anyway."

"Why have you come to me boy?"

Link sat down in a chair, "I need to get to Kakariko village. How do I get into that region?"

"You'll need a guide and something tells me that the bear doesn't know the dessert."

Bear's head propped up from outside, "she's right. I barely know the forest."

"I suggest you find the old Sheikah Impa, she lives in the land of Labrynna."

"I've heard of it, that's so far south. Are you sure this is the best way?"

"Yes, you will need her help. Trust me, I'm a wise old lady after all."

"Fair enough, thank you for meeting me," Link rose from his seat and started out of the door.

"Wait!" The Witch sat up and grabbed a lantern and a stone. "This should light your way, and if you get lost in the dessert, this stone in your campfire and it will point you towards safety."

Link took them and put them in his pack, "thank you."

Link and Bear left the cabin at high noon and traveled through the forest. After miles of walking, nightfall came. The beast and Link made a fire and rested for the night. As they lay awake, staring at the stars they talked of the journey ahead.

"Are you sure you wanna go to Labrynna with me, I don't know if it'll be safe for a bear."

"I'll go all the way to Hyrule castle if you'll let me, I've always wanted to travel outside the woods."

"What do you think it's going to be like? Hyrule castle?"

"Solid gold in every hall. The floor will shine like the river."

"Where'd you hear that?"

"I'd just assume. Them being royalty and all."

"I guess. What do you want to do when I find my dad? Are you planning with living with me forever?"

"Not really, I'm not lonely enough to stay with you forever."

"Thanks," Link said rolling his eyes. "What will you do then?"

Bear thought long and hard, "I don't know. I've always wanted a restaurant."

"A restaurant? You're a bear."

"So? I can cook, I'm pretty good. Besides, I hear that there's places in the world where animals live in houses. I could have a restaurant."

"I guess. If you do, I promise to visit. What can you make?"

"I can make anything."

Link laughed and looked up at the sky, before the two knew it, they fell fast asleep.

Stirs in the desert picked up, the rivers that ran became more and more clear. Evil in the world was declining at a rapid rate. The peace that Hyrule felt was strong, but this would not last forever. The boy Link would know this soon, and the news would come in a young thief who just learned to fish. Labrynna awaits, the new Hero of Legend.


	3. Chapter 3

Before the long trek into the deserts, Link bought some things of great importance. An oversized bandana, thicker tunics for the cold nights, plenty of oil for the lantern, and a boomerang. The boomerang was given to Link by a young man outside of the store. He said that if Link were to go in the desert, he would be eaten alive by the worms and octoroks. The boomerang would paralyze whatever beast it hit for a time, it would be useful to Link on his journey.

Bear was content in the desert for around a day and a half. After this, he regretted ever coming so far. The desert's burning nature was rough even on the tough paws of the bear. Link fared no better, getting massive sunburns from the heat. His new tunics covered more but left him to sweat for hours. Around day three, Link put his tunic in his bag and learned to settle for the pain. The rations they collected mostly went to feeding Bear, who found his foraging skills useless in the new terrain. However, what food they did have he managed to make bearable. He quickly learned the art of heat and oil when he cooked and found many desert plants, while dry, were rich in spices and herbs. Link hunted octoroks, lizards, vultures, and worms with his new bow. He found that he was quite good and learned quickly. However, the sharpshooter grew weak feeding the bear and became tempted by the fog in the south. Often nights, he gazed at the wall of unending fog, his mind drifting into false fantasies of creatures with thick meat beyond the wall of smog that covered the sharp mountains. He only dreamt of his dad and food, about a week into the journey, he dreamt only of the rich stews his father made and the apples off the trees in his backyard. His true comfort came in the form of a cave.

While looking for lizards to skewer for dinner, Link came upon a curious plant. He attempted to press his way through the bush towards the lizard. When he pushed his hand through, he jammed his fingers on a hard stone. He coiled back in pain and Bear took to his side.

"What happened, did you bite you?"

"No, there's something else."

Bear slowly moved the brush away and saw a stone idol. Link sat up and looked at the idol, it was a small man and in his hands was a sword. The markings on the bottom of the idol were unreadable, but a small slit lined the center.

"What is it?" Bear asked.

"I have no idea," Link started to fiddle with the object until he felt that the sword was loose. He pulled it from the hands of the idol and looked it over. The tip was slightly crooked and shaped with a unique edge. He slowly pushed it through the slit and felt some vibrations within the stone. Suddenly the ground behind the idol shook and a squared entrance to the cave opened.

"Oh, It's a...It's a hole." Link said, almost confident.

"What do you think is down there."

"I have no idea."

"Are you going to find out?"

Link looked down the dark tunnel, "I don't know. It could be dangero-" before he could finish a gust of wind bellowed from the cave. The cool wind washed over Link's face and suddenly he sighed. "It could be important. I'll just have a small look.

Bear looked at the whole, "I think it is too small for me but you can fit."

Link, intoxicated by the promise of freedom from the heat. "Yeah. I should at least have a look around for something interesting. Maybe it's a secret passage or something of that kind."

"That would be swell. I'm going under that tree for a while. I'll be out here when you get back." Link started down the stairs of the steep cave. "Wait! You're not even going to put on armor?"

"Oh right," Link snapped himself out of his haze and geared up. "I'll be safe."

Link slowly walked into the dark tunnels of the cave and noticed by his lantern light that the sandy rocks of the entrance had been replaced with cold blue bricks. He touched the brick to find that it was impossibly smooth to the touch. He stepped forward in the cave and was swarmed by bats. He swung carelessly at the bats, hitting none of them. He shined the lantern at them, but this had little effect as well. After walking through the long hallway he came to an open room. The room's walls were covered in large hulking statues. The floor seemed to be smoother than before, Link walked to a torch pool. He lit it and put away his lantern to save the oil. He looked around the room and found, at the center, a great chest. The chest was large and had enormous handles. He pulled on the handles but to no effect, it was locked. He looked around and noticed two distinct hallways. One in front of him and one to his left.

He strolled forward through the cave and found many things. He was forced to move bricks into a pattern to open the next door. This was fine of course, he didn't mind the work in the cool of the cave. The next door contained skeletons that were dangerous and strong. His boomerang made quick work of them and on one of their bodies, he found a key.

Excited, Link sprinted through the rooms into the large room and thrust the key into the chest. No effect. Link frowned and shoved the key into his pocket. He continued into the hall on his right.

As soon as he started to stroll down the hall, the ground gave way. Link ran as fast as he could and managed to escape into the next room. This room was large and contained pillars that lined the four corners of the room. A door stood at the north of the room. He calmly walked to the door, before he could reach it, a floor panel lowered under his weight. He stumbled and looked as the pillars showed glowing eyes. These eyes shot large red orbs at Link, who quickly raised his shield. He blocked most of them, but one seared his arm. Link cried out in main and rushed to the door. He fumbled with the lock but quickly entered and slammed the door behind him.

Link began to feel trapped, in the new room he could see nothing. Link pulled his lantern out once more and looked around. He saw nothing interesting in this room. The room was as big as the last and held a stairwell leading upwards in the far right corner. As he stepped into the room, he felt that the floor tiles aren't smooth anymore. This made him jump, he now feared every step of the cave. "What is this place?" Link plead allowed. He slowly felt the tile with his hand and noticed nothing unusual about them. They were simply rough. He took a breath and cautiously walked across the floor. Before reaching the stairs, he heard a whirling behind him. Link readied his shield and turned around to see a floor panel spinning above its place. After a moment, It launched at Link, to which, he quickly blocked it and scurried up the stairs.

Upon reaching the room above, he noticed that the number of skeletons seemed to have doubled. Their weapons were new: maces, mauls, axes, some even wielded bows. The challenge increased, and with it: Link brought his force. Link's skill with a blade was weak but his bowman skills proved useful. The decrepit skulls crumbled at his arrows and the take was larger than before. Arrows, a new shield, and, to Link's surprise, powder bombs. He looked over the bombs and carefully tied the frayed fuses. He looked around and found that the room seemed to be a dead end. No keys, no chests, just a room of skeletons. What a waste, Link thought to himself. On his way out, a shimmer caught his eye. He walked to the wall and examined the origin of the shimmer. He looked through a crack in the wall and found that there seemed to be a room on the other side. He looked over his bombs once more and placed one. His stomach growled, but no food as to be found in the cave. Link rubbed his stomach gently and whispered calming words to himself. He missed Bear's meals, though they lacked substance, they made him feel as if he had eaten full meals. Regaining his strength, he hoped that the next room would be tamer than the last. He placed the bomb at the foot of the wall and lit it. He ran back and waited for the explosion. The wall crumbled and the light poured in. The light seemed to come from a large torch in the middle of the room.

The well-lit room contained holes in the floor, Link noted this and moved forward with caution. He noticed many creatures in shells resting on the ground around him. He quietly avoided these as he walked to the side of the room. He noticed a chest sitting idle against the wall. He tried to open it and found it was locked. Link pulled the small key from his pocket and watched as it opened the chest. As it opened he gazed upon the item inside, a compass. He felt discouraged, he already had one of these. He shoved it in his pocket and suddenly became fearful. The shells suddenly sprung into action and moved towards Link. He sliced at them with his sword but felt a force push him back with every swing. He moved closer to edges and almost fell in. He noticed that in the north of the room was another door. He tried to move around the shells, but he suddenly became overwhelmed. They pushed him to the edge and he fell through the floor.

Link coughed as he looked up a the darkened ceiling of the first room. He stared at the chest in the center and scoffed. He tried to stand up but felt his stomach ache again and he began to cough. He coughed loudly and painfully. He tried to catch his breath, but the dusty cave did not aid him. His loudness stirred the statues that lined the walls. Link slowly noticed between his belching that the knights drew their swords. For the first time in the cave, Link truly felt fear. Link's urge to run away was only trumped by his aching stomach. He weakly held up his shield and began to take blows. He wanted nothing more than to be gone from this place and Link couldn't help but want to give up. He lacked strength and will, but he did not give up. He promised. Link attempted to swing his sword, but the knight flung it from his grip. He held onto his shield with two hands and blocked as much as he could. The knight sliced his arm while another plunged his blade into Link's shoulder. He fell to his knees and tears left his eyes. Link felt a burst of strength and he pushed forward towards on the knights. As he knocked it over, another stabbed Link in the back. Link winced as he grabbed at the knight's armor and shield, anything to protect him. The knight punched Link's jaw and threw him to the side. As Link was flung, he managed to grab the metal belt that the knight wore. Link watched as the knights began to close in on him. Blood oozed from his wounds and Link suddenly heard something.

"You're hurt!" He heard in his ear.

Link's eyes were hazed and he couldn't feel time around him. "Yes," he trembled.

"I'll fix you up," the voice giggled.

Link stared at the ground and saw the metal belt. Next to this laid an empty bottle, smashed to pieces. A small fairy fluttered above his eyes, behind her he could see the knights closing in. She took a childish stance while flying above Link's eyes, she waved her arms and slowly disintegrated into dust.

A knight flung his sword and pierced Link's belly, another his leg. Link lay still, his mind overwhelmed by pain and curiosity. Link felt a strange sensation wash over him. He felt clean. He watched down his body as his arm, leg, and belly seemed to close his wounds. His once empty stomach became full and nourished. His limp, once pain-stricken, arms were full of life. And strength.

Link took in a solid breath and smirked at the knights towering above him. Link pulled the bow from his back and moved faster than he had since he entered the desert. He moved through the knights' blades like a leaf on the wind. He plunged arrows into the thick armor of the knights. He walked passed the blood-stained floor and picked up his shield and sword. His grip was confident and no longer passing. He thrust his blade through the knights one by one. The armor clanged against the ground. After a minute of fighting, Link panted and felt unstoppable. He screamed as loud as he could, victorious and young.

His celebration ended and Link picked up the scraps. The knights carried swords, too big for Link but the shields seemed just right. After taking those and a few loose rupees he found another bottle. He looked at the small fairy inside and said hello. The fairly giggled and did a playful dance. Link laughed at the strange magic and stored it in his pack.

Link looked at the hallway where the floor once dropped. It appeared that the floor had somehow returned. Link chuckled and sprinted across once more. He blocked the pillar's orbs, dashed through the flying floor panels, battled the skeletons once more, and made it to the room where he fell. Link knocked the shelled beetles with his back to the wall. He approached the door and opened it. He stared into the small room, at the chest in the middle. He quickly opened it to find inside, a long red wand. Atop the wand was an orb similar to those fired at him by the pillars. He grabbed the stick and help it forward. He examined it closely and felt spark a buzz within. He had never felt this way before, but it made him feel strange. He somehow knew that he could express his feelings, not through his body, but through the wand. He held it out and made the spark within him grow. Flame shot from the wand and Link felt the heat around him.

"Yes!" He exclaimed aloud. The magic made him feel powerful and interested. He slung flames around the room until he built up a sweat. The spark within him felt malnourished and Link realized that he was not invincible. He looked around the small room and found in the corner of the chest a vial of green liquid. Link felt the spark in the vial and drank the green tonic down. He felt his strength slightly restored and tucked the wand safely in his bag.

He returned to the wide-open room and counted his items. As he went through them, he noticed the compass he had found on the floor above. He saw that it was laced with gold and felt that he could sell it if it didn't work as well as his. He pulled his out for comparison and found that it was way off. The compass gifted to him by the woman pointed north always, but the new compass seemed to be skewed. He wondered why it would point southeast for no reason, left of the room he was in. As he faced the way, he felt a familiar shimmer run across his face. He looked at the wall in front of him and then back at the compass. It led straight through it. He placed another bomb at the base of the wall and cracked the brick. It wasn't enough, so he placed another. Another explosion tore the wall completely open. He walked in and noticed a cavern on the far end of the room in front of him.

A roar shook Link in his steps. He looked forward as a massive scaly beast walked towards him. It bore a horn on its head and red wings at its side. Link took a bigger breath but felt no fear. He lunged for the beast with his sword but was knocked back. The beasts massive claws flew on top of Link, who forced his shield in front of him. Link's back was scratched by the rough cave floor. LInk rolled from the spot and pulled the wand from his pack. He launched two fire bolts from his which did no damage. The beast seemed to smirk in his direction and blew waves of fire at Link. Link rolled away, attempting to avoid burning. Link's sword was scorched and the metal melted at the hilt. Link felt relief and shock at the heat. He dropped his sword and prepared for another wave. He pulled his boomerang and threw it at the large Aquamentus. The beast froze, but within seconds broke free of the spell. Link repeated the action with little effect, the Aquamentus grew used to the paralyzation. Link looked around, he couldn't beat the beast with strength. His wandering eyes looked up for a moment. He noticed that this room had no ceiling, it was just stone. He thought for a moment, dodging flame and claws alike. Link ran around the beast, fooling it into slowly moving towards him. He pulled his bow and readied an arrow. Before launching it, he fashioned one of his bombs to the arrows end. He lit it and quickly fired it into the air. Link dropped his bow and held his shield to the sky. The bomb burst and rocks fell from above.

The Aquamentus let out a large cry and fell to the ground. Link looked around at the rubble and smiled. Suddenly he thought, this should be enough for Bear. Looking over the meat he found that the scales preserved it from the fire and rock.

"Who is there?" A voice cried from the north in the cave.

Link was startled, "I am Link. A passer through the desert."

"Come to me."

Link hesitated, yet felt compelled to press on. He found a small cage with a man inside. "Who are you? I should get you out."

"Don't bother. My time is short. Take this blade," the old man gave him a sword. It was sturdier than his first. The man's extended hand bore a symbol, a triangle. The leftmost piece shone brightly.

"Thank you. Are you sure you don't want to be free?"

"I'm sure, where do you travel?"

"I'm going to the Sheikah, they can take me through the mountains. I'm going to Hyrule castle to protect my father."

"A brave one aren't you?"

"Hardly, I've come so far for my dad. I would've turned much sooner had I had my way."

"Is that so? Then perhaps you are worthy of this." The old man gestured to the back of his hand.

"What is that?"

"This is the Triforce of wisdom. I hoped to find the Triforce of courage to give to a worthy hero, but I haven't found any. I can't help but wonder if you can bear this."

"I can try."

"That you can," the old man seemed to let go of life. His body faded into a cloud of thin dust and Link's hand shone brightly. The triangle rested upon it.

"Wisdom huh. Maybe this will help me with my dad."

Link strolled through the empty dungeon carrying as much meat as he could muster. Skinning the Aquamentus was hard enough, but the weight matched the task in difficulty. "Bear! I got some grub for you!" Link looked towards the tree and found nothing. He looked around to see no sign of his friend. "Bear?"

A rustle in a nearby bush and Link fell into a deep sleep.

Link awoke in a tent, surrounded by candles. His armor was removed, leaving only a thin tunic. His pack and meat were missing and he had no sign of Bear. He opened his mouth to scream for help, but a hand quickly covered it. A tanned woman came from behind, keeping her hand firm on his mouth. Her features were strong and her body was covered by wraps that made little noise. She wielded a sharp blade and spoke slowly. "Impa will see you soon." The girl disappeared and LInk became relaxed.

He sat up on the bedroll and noticed a cup of tea and a slice of bread next to him. He felt that it was wrong to take without asking, but he felt hungry. He decided he would half the bread and the tea and pay for it with the rupees he had gotten in the cave. He thought to himself, I'm feeling wiser already.

An old lady slowly walked in and, despite Link's plan, he still felt that he needed to hide the bread and tea he stole.

"I see you are hungry."

"I didn't mean to assume it was for me, I really didn't."

"No need to worry child, we wouldn't put it in front of you if it wasn't for you. You must be Link."

"Yes, how did you know that?"

"I have a bird who trails the sky, he was looking for you since you entered the forest with that Bear of yours."

LInk sighed with relief, "how is Bear?"

"All well and good. Quite the cook he is."

Link smiled, "did he use the dragon meat I brought for him?"

"Yes. He made us a fine stew last night. In fact, the tea your drinking is made from strands of the beast's horn."

Link nodded, he felt weird about that but he couldn't deny that the tea was good. "I wish I could've had some stew."

"You've been asleep for three days."

"What!?"

"Yes, when we found you, you were very weak."

"No I wasn't, the fairly healed me up. I was good."

"Fairies and potions are temporary fixes. To truly recover one must eat, drink, and rest. Any adventurer knows that."

"Right, perhaps I am an adventurer."

"I should hope so, you bear a triforce on your hand. You must be good for something." Link laughed with the lady, "get your rest. We can discuss preparations for your journey in the morning over breakfast. Bear is cooking octorok eggs."

Link smiled, "thank you. I'm glad to meet you Impa."

"Rest now."

Link lay still. The bread and tea making him drowsy. He was glad to feel safe again, the desert was now a home for Link, and thoughts of his father were hopeful. Deep into the night, Link was awoken by sounds of rustling outside his tent.

"Who goes there?" Link whispered, "Impa?"

A figure in the shadows moved around.

"Bear?"

A young boy opened the tent flap and entered, "shhhhh."

"Who are you?"

"Quiet, I'm playing hide and seek."

Link and the boy sat still as they heard other children run around outside. Link heard giggles and voices, all girls. He looked upon the boy, "I was beginning to think this entire village was girls."

"They are except me and my dad," the boy said firmly. His skin was pale and greenish.

"How?"

"It's a Sheikah thing. They only have a male every once and awhile. Though my dad says we are supposed to be Gerudo, but the Sheikah fight better."

"I have no idea what any of that means, but alright. I'm Link," Link extended a hand to the young boy.

The boy took it, "my name is Ganondorf."

"What do you do around here?" Link said, glancing at the boy's hand.

"I'm training to be a thief, but I've always wanted to be a fighte-"

Link quickly took the boys hand again, "what is that?"

Ganondorf yanked his hand away, "let go of me. That's just a birthmark."

"It's glowing!"

"So? It's a weird birthmark."

Link rolled his eyes and showed him his piece of the Triforce.

"Oh. What does it mean?"

"I don't know, maybe Impa knows. I just know that this one means wisdom."

"So, you're wise?"

"Not really, maybe...I think it means who I'm supposed to be."

"Strange, why are you here?"

"I need to find my dad at Hyrule castle."

"Ok, do you mind if I go with you?"

"Um, sure? I guess if you're willing to carry the weight," Link thought on it, "what about your dad?"

"He doesn't know anything. He doesn't listen to me."

"What about Impa?" Young Ganondorf fell quiet, he hung his head low. His red hair, untrimmed, hair fell over his face. Link could tell he was sad, "how about this? Tomorrow, sit with me and Bear at breakfast. When it's time for me to leave, I'll ask Impa about bringing you along. We don't need to tell your dad if you don't want to."

Ganondorf's face lit up, "wow, you are wise. Thank you." Ganondorf rose from his spot and checked out the tent. Before Link could say goodbye, he was gone.

Link snickered at the boy and laid his head down.

The tent rustled one last time, "goodnight Link."

"Goodnight Ganondorf."

Oh how young I was.


	4. Chapter 4

Bear's cooking was something to praise, I learned this when I was 14. The tale that I know did not begin with me and my friends. My tale was an afterthought of a breaking world, broken only by a forgotten monster.

The signs of the time rung throughout Hyrule and preparations were made. While the young, pink haired, boy helped his father with chores, The princess slept, studied, and lived in royalty.

Her life consisted of books, soft fabrics, and sweet foods. Her bedroom would know many forms of the girl named Zelda, and she was not consistent. Her habits varied from those of a princess to those of a writer, warrior, scholar, and many many more. She was impressive in her ways, mastering even the most complex of trades within at most a month. Her life was busy and she was a clear fit for the role of queen.

Her father saw greatness in her at every turn and saw how well Zelda worked with the Sages of Hyrule. He was glad to let her live in her varied and expensive ways because he knew that the value of her experience would increase her value as a ruler. He often wished he hadn't spent to much time on the battlefield he was unfit for his role as a leader in times of peace. But his queen was strong-willed and very smart, she aided in the affairs of Hyrule.

Zelda's teachings led her to the history Hyrule. This interested her more than anything else in her studies. She read of war and battle, great magic, and the gods that led the world. It wasn't long before she found the history of her bloodline, of the evil that vowed vengeance and the hero who rose to rival it. She became obsessed with this story, she suddenly found a feeling of purpose that running the castle had never given her before. She had something to prepare for, and prepare she did.

Her studies moved from strategy to combat, she learned to use a sword and a bow expertly. Her natural talents were enough to help her surpass every warrior in Hyrule. It wasn't long before she turned to alternatives forms of battle. Magic became her new interest and the Sages aided her in learning the art of magic. Zelda bonded with her mother, a healer, over the mystic arts and found that her family was perfect support for her preparations. She became an expert sorcerer, easily beating every Sage.

Her father began to take ill. In his final days, the signs of Hyrule's awakening began once more. Monsters roamed more frequently, the moon took on unnatural shades. Zelda was ready for anything, and she and Sages met the seal between the beast Ganon and the world they protected. Ganon's strength peaked as the Fully Formed Triforce aided him. Zelda's mastery was too much for Ganon, and the Seven Sages forced him into the Golden Realm once more. The seal shut, but the age of corruption still persisted.

The world was not right. As a twenty-year-old man with pink hair boarded a ship for new lands with his wife, Zelda sat alone at a throne and pondered what went wrong. Every tale she read was about a great battle between absolute good and absolute evil, yet nothing of that kind had appeared.

Her father died and her mother soon followed, Zelda sought a life of comfort and peace to forget the loss of her parents. Her role as queen was natural and she held it well for many years. Though thoughts of Ganon and the prophecy made her uneasy.

Though the great evil remained defeated, the land still fell into corruption. Monsters continued to plague the woods and famine became more common in farms outside of Hyrule. Zelda spent her days dealing with her kingdom's problems and mastering her skills. Visions of the ocean plagued her and she never felt at peace. She began to grow bitter and cynical, showing no compassion to anyone. Her powers advanced and she became more ruthless. By day she read the stories that once inspired her, now with hatred for their false prophecies, she felt betrayed by fate. By night she laid awake and cried for her father. Her dreams and visions haunted her more until one night she swore she could hear Ganon laugh from below the castle.

Startled and afraid, she rushed downstairs and gathered her sleepy Sages. The young girls followed the Queen into the chamber where the seal was formed. It was silent but Zelda still heard the cries of the beast. She ordered the Sages to open the seal and they fearfully obeyed. Ganon stumbled into the hall and roared at the girls. Zelda starred up and, with little effort, vanquished the beast. He laid on the ground and moaned, the Triforce lifted from his body and appeared in front of Zelda. She knew what she would wish for, but as she placed her hand on the relic it disappeared from her grasp.

In her passion and rage against the beast, she had lost that which made her innocent. She was no longer worthy to use the power of the Triforce, and so it split. She twitched and fell to her knees. She wept and wailed, the Sages feared her madness. Who would not mourn those they lost? Zelda's transformation was now complete, after all the waiting she would now have the world she wanted. She looked down at the glowing triangle on her hand and knew she would only use her power for one thing.

A year flew by and Hyrule restored itself. The Monsters left and darkness was contained to the silent halls of Hyrule Castle. The Wizard Zelda was a force that was feared by all and neighboring villages would fear her monthly strolls through the towns. She would often look for children resembling the boy hero, she still swore revenge on the prophecy. She found no one with Triforce but herself. She went from place to place in search of anyone, she found no hero nor a wise man. She didn't even find the new incarnation of darkness, though she made plans to find a way to absorb the power from that as well. She hired scholars and agents to search the lands for anyone who might be the hero but found none for 8 years.

A forest raven saw Link's father in the field and sensed his significance. Though his memory didn't hold his wish, the Triforce's power would stay with him all his life. It granted him strength in times of weakness and intuition in times of confusion.

Hearing of this man intrigued Zelda, she felt a spark of hope within her. Perhaps he can answer for the strange life she has had, maybe he can make things right. She sent men to the far reaches of Holodrum and sat in her throne once more, awaiting the arrival of the once Hero of Legend.

* * *

A/N I'm sick and very busy. The last few weeks have been rough, but I'm finally getting into the swing of writing again. I don't know how frequently I'll add but I plan on editing some other chapters in the meantime.

Stay frosty. *wink* *wink*

Update: Something brand new has happened to me. I have lost all interest in this story altogether. It will probably pick up after I start playing BOTW, but as of now writing it isn't fun. I wrote out the entire story and it didn't excite me anymore. If the spark comes back then I'll write more, but as of now it is an incomplete project.


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